January 6, 2024 Newsletter

January 6, 2024

Greetings Bradley Beach-

Our thoughts and prayers continue for Israel, and particularly the hostages and their family and friends.

Welcome to 2024! Our hope is everyone enjoyed their 2023 Holiday Season. In this first edition we will look forward to 2024!

Before that, though, we need to share sad news on one of our residents. Harvey Rosenberg, a resident of Ocean Park Avenue for many years, and currently the Vice Chair of the Land-Use Board, passed away on December 30th. Harvey served here in Bradley Beach in several capacities through the years and will be missed. He led a full and happy life. Rest in peace.

In this newsletter, we will cover:

- A new, exciting “coming event” for the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign- our “Winter/ Spring Zooms”

- The annual swearing in of our Fire and First Aid officers

- Our Preliminary 2024 thoughts on our Borough Objectives

- Our Borough Council Meeting format for 2024- something new! / hopefully improved!

We had a lot of successes with “year 2” (2023) of the Mayors Wellness Campaign. We are starting 2024 and the winter months with a series called “Zooming for Wellness”.

This new series in the continuing commitment to promote health and wellness. This new interactive program offers an opportunity to hear experts on timely issues that affect our entire community and to do so in an easy to access fashion.

All residents of Bradley Beach, neighbors and family are invited to the kick-off zoom on Thursday, January 11 at 6 p.m. The subjects are appropriate for all; and all ages are welcome. Subsequent sessions are planned over the next few months, also on Thursdays.

Join us for this first informative session which will focus on Social Media and Your Mental Health, presented by Stacy Doumas, MD, Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Dr. Doumas will discuss the impact of social media on our mental health. Participants will learn tips for healthy social media use, how to manage negative feelings that may arise and actions that can be taken to ensure your well -being.

Social Media plays a big part in everyone's lives. While there are positive aspects to social media, it has also been associated with potential harm, especially to the mental health of those of all ages.

We invite all residents of Bradley Beach and our neighbors, family, and friends to join, listen and ask questions. Please register with either link below to participate:

https://www.bradleybeachnj.gov/mayors-wellness-campaign/

https://register.capturepoint.com/reg/cat_program_list_detail.cfm?season_id=32296&program_id=2157568

Fire and First Aid Update: New Officer Installment:

I was honored to be invited to swear-in our new “line” officers for the Fire and First Aid Squads on New Year’s Day. This is an important day- to thank those who served in these leadership roles in 2023 and celebrate going into 2024! The 75 or so participants were comprised of family, friends and colleagues, and Police Department leadership. After the ceremony, a buffet lunch was served, and the celebration continued with great fellowship. We have an outstanding group of volunteers that serve in these critical roles that ensure the safety and security of our community. Many Thanks—

2023- Service and Progress to Bradley Beach!

As I covered in the 2023 year-end newsletter, overall- we had a pretty good 2023 here in Bradley Beach. The 2023 highlights covered:

Infrastructure improvements (Phase II sewer project, McCabe/ Ocean Park outfall pipe replacement, Sump-Pump water line fixes, Park and Lake improvements, and the Biase Center refurbishment)

Beachfront improvements (handicap access enhancements, additional beach lockers, coastal resilience grant applications, and playground improvements)

Grants- We continued to “up our game” (Recreation Grant, Lake Terrace Park improvements, Fifth Avenue and Park Place Road/ Sewer improvements, Coastal Resilience and Unused Asset grants pending)

Main Street and Related- Trial on Electric Vehicle trolleys, commitment on 2024 re-opening of the BRADLEY theater, and Riley Park event improvements

We worked with the Bradley Beach Business and Community Alliance on a number of initiatives. – one of which was the 130th Anniversary of Bradley Beach celebrations. Well done!

Now- Direction for 2024!

I have been meeting with my Council counterparts and our Acting Business Administrator assessing our opportunities for 2024 and beyond. Here is a pretty good sample/ summary to-date:

Main Street- We started a comprehensive look at Main Street in 2023, we need to complete this and finalize an approach and implementation plan

The 319 LaReine Avenue Church- Progress was made here, although not enough and too slow. We are progressing now and will keep a focus on this. Targeting a ‘Q-1 resolution.

Infrastructure- A number of opportunities:

Lake Terrace Park- complete renovation
Recreation area- complete renovation
Sylvan Lake
Short term – outfall gate - repair
Long-Term- outfall pipe replacement to the ocean
Park Place
Fifth Avenue/ Park Place Road and sewer repairs
Additional Sewer work- to be defined Grants (Promenade)
Sump pumps- continue project to affected blocks
Biase in full operational state-319 LaReine- final disposition-

Affordability- After “holding the line” literally in 2021 and 2022, we had a tough 2023 relative to municipal tax. Our 3-year average is a little below 5%; but we are and will be working hard to keep 2024 at the lowest possible level.

Ordinances (revise/ clean-up)

Tourism
Recreation
Others

Facilities Management-Long-term

Beach Concessions- Food Trucks-strategic plan

This is a good start- we’ll keep you posted on 2024!

Our Boards, Commissions, and Committees will be busy developing their objectives in January, also!

Borough Council Meeting- format for 2024- something new! / hopefully improved!

Just as we are looking at WHAT we will be doing in 2024, HOW we do things can improve, too. With that we are assessing two different meeting formats for 2024. “Meeting 1” each month would be a combination of Workshops and Departmental report-outs”. This would keep a good focus on improvements and initiatives.

Meeting 2” each month would be the “business meeting”- resolutions, ordinance introductions and adoptions, approval of bill lists, etc.

We will be working together (Council members, Acting Business Administrator, Clerk, Department Heads) to make these changes. We would begin this in February. Our January 10th meeting is primarily the annual reorganization meeting and January 24th will be a regular business meeting.

I hope everyone continues to have a positive experience here in Bradley Beach. We are blessed in many ways. Stay safe!

We will continue to focus on Service and Progress as a Municipal Team.

Thanks, and see you around town.

Mayor Larry Fox

Tree Application Here

January Tree of the Month - The 'Traveling" Blue Spruce

A new dawn, a New Year! This spectacular Bradley Beach sunrise highlights the ‘traveling’ Blue Spruce located on the corner of Ocean and Kent Avenues.

This evergreen conifer got its start as a house plant brought home from a trip to the Grand Canyon. It quickly outgrew it’s pot and was planted outside. For many years the tree grew in a westerly direction, then finally headed to the sky. This makes for a very interesting tree trunk, and certainly worth a look!

The name Blue Spruce comes from it's unique blue needles, a rare find in the plant world. In indigenous cultures, blue spruce twigs were given as gifts to bring the receiver good luck in the future. The Bradley Beach Shade Tree Commission wishes everyone the best of luck, and a happy and healthy 2024.

Sponsor or receive a free Bradley Beach tree in 2024!

Please visit the Borough Hall of Bradley Beach for an application or https://www.bradleybeachnj.gov/shade-tree-commission/.

Photo courtesy of Eva Rogath Silbert

Please visit the website for updated meetings, events and information.

www.bradleybeachnj.gov

Borough of Bradley Beach | www.bradleybeachnj.gov